Foden
Foden was a United Kingdom truck and bus manufacturing company which has its origins in Sandbach, Cheshire in 1856. American Truck builder PACCAR acquired the company in 1980, and ceased to use the brand name in 2006. History Steam fair in 2008]] In 1856 Edwin Foden became apprenticed to the Agricultural machinery manufacturing company of Plant & Hancock. He left the company for an apprenticeship at Crewe Railway Works but returned to Plant & Hancock at the age of 19. Shortly afterwards he became a partner in the company. On the retirement of George Hancock in 1887 the company was renamed Edwin Foden Sons & Co. Ltd. The company produced massive industrial engines, as well as small stationary steam engines and agricultural traction engines. Edwin Foden's great innovation was the development of a practical and highly efficient compound steam unit. From this time on the majority of steam power units produced by the firm benefited from the use of this design. Experimental steam lorries were first produced shortly after the turn of the 20th century. This work led to the design of the successful vehicle that was entered into the 1901 War Office trials. The Foden vehicle came second to a Thornycroft wagon but was nevertheless regarded by most commentators as a clear winner (the result was questioned in Parliament). This model was the basis for a highly successful line of vehicles which were produced over the next 30 years. Edwin's son, E.R., saw the future lay in diesel power. In 1931, he was removed from the board of directors for advocating diesel over steam, and subsequently retired. However, his son Dennis, George Faulkener, and Ernest Sherratt (all Foden employees) decided to design a new diesel wagon. To help finance the venture, Edwin Richard Foden was persuaded to come out of retirement and head a new company of lorry manufacturer. This company became known as ERF. In 1980, Foden was acquired by the American firm PACCAR, and is now a division of that company. After the takeover of Leyland Trucks by PACCAR in 1998, independent Foden production ceased, and was replaced by models of DAF Trucks rebadged as Fodens (DAF Trucks having been acquired by PACCAR in 1996). These vehicles have had the option of either CAT, PACCAR or Cummins engines. Brand retirement In 2005, it was announced by PACCAR that Foden production was likely to cease in 2006. The final vehicle to roll off the production line at the factory in Leyland, United Kingdom was an 8x4 rigid, which was delivered to the nearby British Commercial Vehicle Museum. Traction Engines A number of their traction engines have been preserved, and they are a regular sight at steam shows, and other events for historic vehicles. Models (insert model No. etc here) *1899, GP No.443, victoria *1903, GP No.664, Betty *1907, GP No.1308, Captain Cook *1907, Tractor, no.1294, 110 JLB *1907, Showmans, No.1423, Story Teller *1910, 8 hp.Showmans, No.2104, Prospector/Jane *1912, GP No.3261, ? *1912, GP No.3384, Wattie Pollock *1913, Tractor, No.3534, Monarch Please add any known machine details to the table below. Click Here to edit list. Steam Lorries A number of their steam lorries have been preserved, and they are a regular sight at steam shows, and other events for historic vehicles. Models Year, model, s/No. Name, etc *1904 wagon, No.763 *1907 Wagon, No.1427, *1908 wagon No.1742, Queen Mary *C type, No.12018, Emily *D Type, No.12370, Island Chief *1911 waggon No.2876 Emerald *1912 waggon No.3398 *1913 Waggon, No.3510 *1914 waggon No.4086 *1914 Wagon No.4258 Irene *1916 Tipper No.6216 *1916 wagon No.6350 *1917 wagon No.7536 *191? Wagon, No.7768 *1918 wagon No.8304 Cheshire Pride *1920 wagon No.9580 *1920 Sentinal No.9593 *1920 wagon No.10136 Kenrow Princess *1921 wagon No.14470 (serial no out of sequence ? or typo in source) *1923 wagon No.10694 Tiler *1922 wagon No.10788 *1924 wagon No.11208 Lorna Dunne *1923 Bus No.11340 Puffing Billy *1924 wagon No.11414 Pride of Somerset / Freddie *1924 tractor No.11444 Hielan Laddie / Reliance *1926 Wagon, No.12364 Tiny *1928 tractor No.13008 Valiant (Heavy Hauler) *1928 tractor No.13120 Midnight Rambler *1928 Wagon, No.13138, London Pride *1928 wagon No.13156 *1928 wagon No.13178 Patricia *192? tractor No.13196 reg GC5832 (Photo above) *1929 tractor No.13218 Cestria *1928 wagon No.13266 Pride of Sussex *1929 tanker, No.13316, Roby *1929 tractor No.13444 Little Gem *1929 Timber Tractor, No.13454, Samantha *1929 wagon No.13476 Lillie *1930 Tractor No.13484, Talisman *1929 Waggon No.13488 *1930 Waggon No.13536 6 ton RY9259 *1930 Box Van No.13624 Margeret *1930 waggon No.13708 Boadicea - Bressingham Steam Museum collection *1931 waggon No.13746 Major Stanley *1930 waggon No.13752 Reliance *1930 Tractor No.13762 *1930 Tractor 6 ton, No.13764 TF3106 (image at Belvoir 2008) *1932 waggon No.13784 *1931 waggon No.13802 *1930 waggon No.13832 The Dorset Wander *1931 waggon No.13848 Lady Catherine *1932 Tractor No.14078 Mighty Atom *1933 Waggon No.14084 Duke of Gloucester Lorries (Diesel Trucks) The main product line other the years has been trucks for road haulage, but they also built off highway trucks used for Civil engineering works and quarry's. Later going onto build custom versions of there road haulage trucks for use by heavy haulage operators. Early models *1937 wagon No.9293 * Type R Post war Models engine]] 2008]] 2008]] By 1954 what proved to be a very rugged and successful design of dump truck was produced and the two-stroke engine was becoming a very desirable option for marine applications. In 1958 the first glass reinforced plastic cabs were made enabling Fodens to produce the first British tilt cab in 1962. It is difficult to list the vast number of diverse designs which Fodens produced in the fifties and sixties - single and double deck buses, including the first rear engined bus in 1950, mobile crane chassis, heavy haulage tractors, timber tractors and the innovative 'twin-load' concept. Following Paccars take over in 1980 the firm was renamed as "Sandbach Engineering Company". Then in 1983 renamed as "Foden Trucks", with the new 2000 - light duty , 3000 - medium duty and 4000 - heavy duty ranges introduced with Caterpillar Engines as an option. The millitary vehicle contracts provided a seady work load for a period. In 1998 the 3000 range was updated using the DAF 85 series Cab (Paccar having also owned DAF of the Netherlands since 1996). The 4000 series was planed to get the DAF 95 cab but a restructuring in 1999 saw the factory shut and the Foden name dropped in favour of other brands.The World Encyclopedia of Trucks by peter J Davies, p 118-119 Types numbers engine]] * Foden FG - 1948 with S.18 cab * Foden FE - 1952-54 * Foden S20 * Foden S21 * Foden S36 * Foden S39 * Foden S40 * Foden S85 * Foden 2000 series - 1983 * Foden 3000 series * Foden 4000 series Off Highway Haulage * FL Dump Truck Heavy Haulage Custom built tractor units were manufactured for a variety of operators requirements. Military trucks Foden supplied a range of trucks adapted for Army use to the British Army. Image:Foden_Military_spec_truck.JPG|Foden 8x4 in Army Livery at Sandbach. Image:Foden_Military_truck_from_rear.JPG|Foden Army truck with piggy back load of small truck and an armoured personnel carrier at Sandbach festival of transport Reference wikipedia *(source of some serial nos and year)http://www.steam-up.co.uk/foden/foden.htm *(source of most serial nos and year) http://www.steamrallyphotos.co.uk/index.html External links * Official Foden website (a PACCAR website) * The Foden Society * The Foden Society - brief history of Foden * Foden's Richardson band Category:Companies of the United Kingdom Category:Defunct companies of the United Kingdom Category:Truck manufacturers Category:Tractor manufacturers Category:Commercial vehicles Category:Steam Machinery Manufacturers Category:Steam Lorries Category:Steam wagons Category:Dump Trucks Category:Traction Engines